Jasper County Democrat, Volume 1, Number 44, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 11 February 1899 — BATTLE AT MANILA [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

BATTLE AT MANILA

Filipino Rebels Attack Americans and Are Routed. MOBE BLOOD IS SHED. Otis’ Losses Are Estimated at (75 Mea (a Dead aid Wouded. Conflict Lasts Twenty-four Hours, With Little Cessetion—Volunteers tn 4 Hesulars Were Prepared for the Nisht Attack, and Fairly JHaajjte* tered the Hordes of Natives, Who, Well Armed, Fou*ht with ConrageDewey's Ships Ttaroftr Shelia, The lona expected rapture between the Americana, and the at Manila haa come at last.' The clash came at 8:40 o'clock Saturday evening, when three daring Filipinos darted past the Nebraska regiment’s pickets at Santa Mesa, but retired when challenged. They repeated

the experiment without drawing the sentries’ fire. But the third time Corporal Greely challenged the Filipinos and then fired, killing one of them and wounding another. Almost immediately afterward the Fib'pinos’ line, from Galvocan to Santa Mesa, commenced a fusillade, which was ineffectual. The Nebraska, Montana and North Dakota outposts replied vigorously and held their ground nntil reenforcementa arrived. The Filipinos in the meantime concentrated at three points, Cahrocan, Gagalangin and Santa Mesa. At abont 1 o’clock the Filipinos opened

• hot fire from ell three (daces simultaneously, This was supplemented by the fire of two siege guns at Balik-Ballk and by advancing their skirmishers at Paco and Pandacan. The Americans responded with a terrific fire, but, owing to the darkness, they were unable to determine its effect. The Utah light artillery finally succeeded in silencing the natiTe battery. The Third artillery also did good work on the extreme left. The engagement lasted over an hour. The United States cruiser Charleston and the gunboat Concord, stationed off Malabona, opened fire from their secondary batteries on the Filipinos’ position at Calvocan and kept it up vigorously. At 2:45 o’clock there was another fusillade along the entire line and the United States sea-going double-turreted monitor Monadnock opened fire on the enemy from off Malate. There was intermittent firing at rarlpus points all day long. American Troops Advance. With daylight the American* advanced. The California and Washington regiments made a splendid charge and drove the Filipinos from the villages of Paco and Santa Mesa. The Nebraska regiment also distinguished itself, capturing several prisoners and one howltser and a very strong position at the reservoir, which is connected with the water works. The Kansas and Dakota regiments compelled the enemy's right flank to retire to Calvocan. The losses of the Filipinos are known to be considerable. The American losses are estimated at twenty men killed and 12$ wounded. The Ygorates, armed with bows and arrows, mode a very determined stand in the face of a hot artillery fire and left many men dead on the field. Though there was no concerted uprising in Manila, several attempts were made in the city during the night to assassinate American officers. The positions which the Americans held at the beginning of the fight were formerly occupied by the Filipinos. At the siege of Manila the natives drove the Spaniards from these positions and took possession of them, but finally gave them up at the request of Qen. Otis, falling back about a mile, where they- established new defenses. Some of these were captured by the Americans. Qen. Otis had known for some time that the Filipinos were preparing for an attack, and when It came everybody was ready. The natives cut many of the telegraph wires, which for a time caused no little bother to the Americans. Most of the damage of this kind was in the city or in the immediate vicinity. The American officers generally are pihased at the manned ih irhich the volunteers eowdeeted themselves. Their six or seven months’ drill and seasoning has made them equal

- i.. . . .. ~ tWwjw in in? woriu. ftmght with the same sang froid as tha regulars, surprising even the moat sanguine ot their officers. :<w "’ For some time the situation at 'Manila has been considered critical and it haa been feared that a conflict with the insurgents was at hand. Gen. Otis, under instructions from the State Department at Washington, haa done ail possible to reconcile the natives to the American occupation and it was hoped that his efforts would prove successful. Agninaldo has been menacing ever since the Spaniards surrendered to Gen. Merritt sad Admiral Dewey, In his official pronnnciamentos and in interviews he has claimed that the Americans have no other than commercial rights, which he would agree to when the time came, to the islands or any part of them; that the insurgents practically had the Spaniards whipped long before Dewey sailed into the harbor op May 1 last and that his countrymen only owed the Americans a debt of thanka for having accelerated the ending of the conflict, nothing more. He has protested against the acquisition of the islands directly to this Government at Washington and by representatives to the conference at Faria during the discussion of the peace terms with Spain. Despite all declarations by the American authorities at Manila that their intentions toward the natives were of the most friendly character, the insurgent leaders apparently concentrated the best part of their army on the island of Luson, and rumor has had it that the Filipino force baa gradually been closing in on the capital city, Manila. The native army surrounding Manila haa been estimated at 40,000 men, all well armedaand the cream of the soldiers under APiinaldo. These men, as a rule, are up in modern military tactics. A large part of the rifles with which they are armed were furnished by representatives of the United States when the original campaign against Manila, then under Spanish control, waa inaugurated. The Americana also gave the islanders a goodly supply ot ammunition, little of which was used in the war with Spain, so it is presumed there is much of it still on hand.

AGUINALDO.

THE HARBOR AT MANILA.